[国会记录：二零零七年十二月十一日（参议院）] [第S15084，S15085] CIA酷刑胶带胡礼达先生的破坏。主席先生，我想今天上午另外一个问题说出顾虑不仅仅是民主党人，但两党成员和我们整个国家。人们常常说，一个人有什么，但他的名声，他的荣誉和他的诚信。我认为是这样。这不只是对男人，但对国家如此。在一千年，在一百年后，当历史学家写的美国，这些初期的故事，他们当然会，我们伟大的城市，我们的军队，当然，我们的经济写。但真正的故事将是一个年轻的国家，它的全球同行中是独一无二的，因为它代表着自由和正义，不只是语言，而是用行动。美国的真正衡量我们的道德权威。在过去的7年，这一权力已显著损坏：在伊拉克没有被发动的战争;受到伤害的说的是实话，瓦莱丽·普莱姆中央情报局特工; a Justice Department in shambles with Attorney General Gonzales; the treatment of prisoners held up to no standard except the daily whims of a few people, Abu Ghraib, water torture. But now the word is that the CIA destroyed tapes from some of these interrogations. It has been acknowledged that the interrogations were by using water torture, something that originated in 1492 by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand in the Inquisition. Here it is hundreds and hundreds of years later, and great America has reverted to what took place in the Inquisition. The damage to our moral authority will matter to history books, but, more importantly, it matters right now. It puts our troops at greater risk if captured, impairs our relationship with nations that ought to be our allies, it impedes our ability to fight an effective war on terror, it creates terrorists. This latest news of destroyed tapes raises far more questions than we have answers. For example, who is responsible for destroying these tapes? Why? Was something being covered up? The possibility of obstruction of justice is very real. The American people deserve a full accounting for what took place and answers for all of these questions. Will that eradicate what has gone on over the last 7 years? Of course not. But it will help. Chairman Rockefeller has launched an investigation in the Senate Intelligence Committee. I am happy that the Intelligence Committee has been working on a bipartisan basis. That is good. Senator Bond [[Page S15085]] has been working with Senator Rockefeller, and they have done what has been good work. There has been very little infighting between them. The Attorney General of the United States, newly selected, has said he will launch an inquiry. We will see what this inquiry will be. I expect both the Intelligence Committee and the Attorney General of the United States to investigate aggressively the answers to questions regarding this coverup. But the CIA, the Justice Department, the Bush White House, every American should know that if these investigations encounter resistance or are unable to find the truth, I will not hesitate to add my voice to those calling for a special counsel. For example, this weekend, Joe Biden, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, called for a special prosecutor. He may be right. I am willing to wait and see what develops before I join in that call. We must take every step necessary to protect our country's integrity and defend this country's great moral responsibility and authority that we have. ____________________